Vietnamese community to celebrate Lunar New Year

Welcoming TET, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, celebrations will soon be held in the Vietnamese American community.

Sharing the same lunar calendar and zodiac animal signs with China, Japan and Korea, the Vietnamese also are ringing in the Year of the Snake. The TET will fall on Feb. 10.

TET celebrations are holistic and always mindful of the connection between humans and the natural and spiritual world. TET celebrates the union of Man and Nature.

After a ceremony of worship, and ceremony of paying respects to the elders and the ancestors, TET is also celebrated with festivities.

Mary Queen of Vietnam Church, 5069 Willowbrook Drive in New Orleans, will have a New Year's Eve Thanksgiving Mass Feb. 9 at 9 p.m., and a welcoming the New Year Mass Feb. 10 at 9 a.m. The events will be followed with a three-day celebration Feb. 15 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. and Feb. 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Bo De Temple, Highway 996 in New Orleans, will have a New Year's worship service Feb. 9 at 11 p.m., and a welcoming the New Year worship service Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. The events will be followed by a 3-day festival Feb. 15 from noon to 10 p.m., Feb. 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 10 p. m. at the temple.

"TET festivals offer an opportunity to immerse yourself in traditional Vietnamese culture, said Duc Thay, High Monk of the temple. "It is also a time for joy and hope."

Both celebrations will have live music bands, with performances by famous Vietnamese singers, modern and traditional Vietnamese dances, lion dances, Vietnamese food, gift shops and games.

The Vietnamese zodiac snake is said to be capable of bringing things to a standstill, therefore promulgating peace. The Vietnamese zodiac snakes have the power to mercerize people. They are here to keep things in check and to bring repercussions to those who do not make use of themselves.

For more information about the celebration at the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church, call 504.254.5660, and the Do De Temple, call 504.392.0327.

The Spring Festival at the Confucius Institute has been rescheduled to Feb. 15 from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Xavier University ballroom. For more information, email Yjiang@xula.edu.